Evening wrap

North Queensland winger Brenton Bowen has signed a two-year deal with NRL club Gold Coast.

Titans coach John Cartwright says Bowen has blistering pace and will add to the squad's depth. The cousin of Cowboys fullback Matt Bowen, Brenton Bowen has scored six tries from 13 games for North Queensland this season.

Out Kogarah way, St George Illawarra have confirmed they have held talks with fallen rugby star Wendell Sailor.

Sailor, who switched from league to union in 2002, will be eligible to resume his controversial playing career when he completes a drugs ban in May next year. The dual international received a two-year ban after testing positive to cocaine following a NSW Waratahs Super 14 game last year.

The 27-year-old came up through the juniors with the Rabbitohs and played 41 first grade games for the club before they were omitted from the NRL in 2000.

Wing has represented NSW and Australia and played 217 NRL games in a glittering career, featuring four grand finals and a premiership win in 2002. Wing says he is looking forward to returning to his roots.

Eastwood, who made his debut for New Zealand this year and Michaels both signed two-year deals while speedster Kemp signed on for another season. The club still has to announce the re-signing of Test and Origin centre Justin Hodges, who they hope to add to the names of Karmichael Hunt, Sam Thaiday, Darius Boyd and Joel Moon who have already agreed to terms.

The club may meet with Civoniceva's management today or tomorrow with the Test front rower set to announce his future plans after the Bronco's withdrew a three-year offer late last week.

And lastly, a knee injury has abruptly ended the controversial rugby league career of former Australian Test prop Richard Villasanti at the tender age of 27.

Villasanti - who was the victim of a smear campaign on the 2003 Kangaroo tour - failed to recover from knee surgery and hung up his boots without playing a game for new club Harlequins in the English Super League.

The man dubbed "Villa the Gorilla" never recaptured the form that earned him a sole 2003 Test cap after the controversial Kangaroo tour where he was accused of stealing more than $5000 from teammates' rooms.

An investigation by the Australian Rugby League did not determine who the thief was but Villasanti said publicly the innuendo had hurt him deeply.